Introduction: Hormonally inactive carcinoids represent a significant proportion of all carcinoids tumours. Classical biochemical and hormonal parameters are not suitable for the diagnosis and follow-up of these tumours. However, the tumour marker chromogranin A that is characteristic for several neuroendocrine tumours and secreted by the majority of these tumours as well, may offer a better means of diagnosis and follow-up. Somatostatin receptors are expressed by hormonally inactive carcinoids and the presence of these receptors has important diagnostic and therapeutic consequences.
Case report: The authors present the history of a patient with a hormonally inactive bronchial carcinoid tumour. After surgical removal of the bronchial carcinoid, liver metastases developed which were found to be somatostatin receptor positive. Somatostatin analogue treatment was introduced, followed by Yttrium-isotope labelled somatostatin analogue therapy. Serum chromogranin A was elevated before somatostatin treatment, and gradually decreased in parallel with therapy. The size of liver metastases remained unchanged during treatment.
Conclusions: Chromogranin A can be efficiently applied for the clinical follow-up of hormonally inactive carcinoid tumours. Somatostatin analogues may be effective for preventing tumour progression not only in hormone-secreting but also in hormonally inactive carcinoid tumours.